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Description
The Maritime Work System Design (MWSD) course design project sets out to supplement the present education of naval architects on two conceptually different levels, a) at the knowledge level, with the purpose of designing a 6 ECTS course that will provide students with basic human factors knowledge tailored for naval architecture, and b) at the social level, which will introduce teachers and students to a multidisciplinary environment, showing by example the value of cooperation between different professions.
Universities are increasingly aware of the Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) methodology, which is a cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to design of technology. The adoption of the CDIO process constitutes a shift from a more traditional engineering curriculum to a more modern stance, resharpening the educational focus from a narrower, technocentric position towards a broader, work-system oriented view, where people, technology and organizations are considered in unison. Novel main themes introduced pivots on system engineering, user centered design and human factors. Seen together, CDIO describes education where students, teachers and courses increasingly focus on technology-in-context, resulting in graduates which are better prepared to be employed and function in industrial multi-disciplinary teams.Building on previous, successful classes in Sweden and Australia, development of the course will involve naval architects, educators and human factors experts from Portuguese and Norwegian higher-level educational institutions, and development will cycle through three one-year cycles to develop/refine, teach, learn and improve. The course will be practical through a high level of hands-on, classroom interaction and the active involvement of students, and will have outgoing activities to visit ships and have direct contact with seafarers. The MWSD course will be given both as a traditional semester course as well as a summer school course.
Summary of project results
The integration of human factors (HF) into naval architecture education is essential for enhancing safety and usability in maritime design. Current curricula in maritime engineering programs generally lack comprehensive HF education and provide limited opportunities for direct interaction with crews. This disconnect affects the effectiveness of ship design and creates challenges for the seafarers who later operate in these complex work environments. This persistent shortcoming indicates a pressing need for integrating HF in the education of maritime engineering. The multidisciplinary course, "Maritime Work System Design," which was designed to bridge this gap.
The course was developed collaboratively by universities in Norway and Portugal, and was refined iteratively based on feedback from educators, maritime human factors experts, and course participants. The course was delivered to master''s and PhD students, as well as industry professionals, across four iterations: three at the Instituto Técnico Superior in Lisbon and one at NTNU in Trondheim.
The course consisted of classroom lectures, ship visits, and practical exercises. Topics covered included human factors principles, usability, ship layout considerations, and bridge design. Participants engaged in hands-on activities, such as personas, scenarios, and low-fidelity prototyping. Evaluation results indicate improvements in students'' interest and understanding of human factors and their relevance in maritime contexts.
The findings suggest that this type of course is an effective approach for preparing future naval architects to create safer and more ergonomic ship designs. The positive feedback and high evaluation ratings suggest that the immersive and interactive teaching methods are important for engaging students and professionals in HF education. However, the feedback also indicated a desire for longer course durations and more opportunities for networking and in-depth discussions. These insights are valuable for future iterations of the course and for informing the design of similar efforts in other engineering disciplines. The practical, hands-on approach of the course, with ship visits, HF methods, and low-fidelity prototyping, was deemed particularly effective in translating theoretical concepts into deeper understanding as well as practical skills in a very limited time frame.
Summary of bilateral results
The collaboration between Norwegian and Portuguese partners was essential for the project''s success. It enabled the exchange of knowledge and expertise between different academic and cultural contexts, which enriched the process of developing curricula and teaching materials. This contributed to a more comprehensive and relevant course. The partnership also made it possible to test and refine the course across different student populations and educational settings, to ensure that it is adaptable and effective for various groups of participants. The bilateral collaboration also contributes to increased knowledge and understanding of human factors in maritime engineering among both students, professionals and educators. In the long term will promote a stronger culture of safety and usability in ship design in both Norway and Portugal. The partnership has led to wider effects, such as potential future collaborations and the dissemination of the course to other educational institutions, and to wider groups of professionals in the industry. There are plans to continue the bilateral collaboration, with discussions underway to integrate it into broader educational programs, such as such as lifelong learning courses at NTNU, and the Naval Architecture master''s program at IST Lisbon. Future collaborations will also explore additional opportunities for joint research and educator exchange.